Littering leads to drug arrest

An Oneida County Sheriff's deputy on patrol noticed someone throw a cigarette butt out their vehicle window Wednesday on Route 69 in Whitestown. The deputy's traffic stop for that minor infraction led to more serious trouble for a North Carolina man who was driving the vehicle.

James Edward Durant, 55, of Fayetteville, NC, was charged with multiple vehicle and traffic violations as well as criminal possession of a controlled substance. The passenger who threw the cigarette butt out the window, Rossetta Griffin, 31, of Utica, was charged with littering.

During the traffic stop, the deputy discovered that the driver did not have a license and his driving privileges had been suspended and the vehicle's license plates had been switched from another vehicle.

While writing up the citations, a second deputy arrived on the scene with a K-9 dog. While at the scene, the dog caught the scent of illegal drugs. Deputies found a small quantity of cocaine.